


Start Talking

by asmaanixx



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, dialogical, minor past biphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-24 02:13:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18160109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asmaanixx/pseuds/asmaanixx
Summary: A conversation between Keith and Lance ranging from subjects such as the existence of aliens to how Lance should have dealt with his biphobic ex girlfriend.





	Start Talking

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Horrible title but I suck at titling one shots.
> 
> 2\. There is no fixed setting for this. I had initially imagined them having this conversation whilst watching the stars at night but that morphed into an evening outdoors.
> 
> 3\. Just to have a little bit of a background: Lance is a tourist visiting a town famous for its supernatural/cryptic sightings. Because it's such a hotspot for these things, it was obvious to make Keith a resident of this spooky town. Keith is actually in charge of operating a lot of the tour guides. Due to his numerous supernatural/conspiratorial videos going viral, he brought in a lot of revenue into town. While the townsfolk are grateful for it, they're not entirely accepting of him. Mostly because Keith hasn't really put in the effort into getting to know any of them. He mainly keeps to himself and doesn't mingle with anyone. That is, until Lance came along of course.
> 
> 4\. As always, kudos/comments/criticism are always welcomed. <3

"What do you think is sadder?" Lance asked, his eyes open wide as they took in just how big the sky truly is. "The fact that we think we're completely alone in the universe, or that there are other living beings out there?"

Keith chuckled. "Is this your roundabout way of asking me if aliens exist?"

Lance nudged him with his leg. A smug smile decorated his face.

"I'm surprised you had to ask." Keith remarked.

"Of course. What was I thinking when I asked the local conspiracy nut on the existence of aliens. My brain must have been fried real good because of the heat wave." Lance said with a roll of his eyes.

"First of all, I'm not a nut and if I am, I'm not the only one in this town." Lance laughed. Keith carried on before he could be interrupted. "And secondly, I think they do exist. I don't know how people can think that in this vast universe, Earth is the only planet that hosts living species."  

"Well, there haven't been any evidence that says otherwise. We can make speculations but unless we have hardcore proof, how can we say definitively that yes, there are other species out there." Lance spoke.

"Umm..  _Wow!_? Does that not mean anything to you?" Keith asked in disbelief.

"Not really." Lance answered. "If you ask a random person on the street, they will have no idea what you're talking about."

"So what? They want a floating spaceship?"

Lance shrugged. "I guess. That should do it. People have a hard time believing what they can't see."

"Okay, but gravity." Keith argued. "We can't see it but we know it exists. Or wind. Can't see it but we can feel it."

"Exactly!" Lance exclaimed. "At least one of our senses interact with these elements which tell us that they exist. In the case of aliens, we don't. We have a bunch of witness testimonies that can easily be disproved, videos that have been faked so that they can make a bit of cash."

"But you can't possibly believe that's true for each case."

"I don't know. Maybe." Lance admitted. "All I know is that when each lie makes it harder to believe what could be true. There's this wiggling doubt at the back of my head that always makes me go, okay, but what if this person is lying just so that they can make some money as well?"

"That's fair." Keith spoke. "But overall, you believe in aliens?"

"Yup." Lance agreed. "I don't think they all come in the form little green martians though. They can be as big a skyscraper or as tiny as microscopic bacteria. Who's to say tiny aliens don't visit Earth everyday?"

Keith's eyes shone with delight. "I think you just became my favorite person ever."

Lance gasped. "My good sir, I am offended that I wasn't already your favorite person."

Keith laughed. "Sorry bud. But that position is reserved for Shiro."

"Ahh, Takashi." Lance hummed in agreement. "If that's the case, then I can forgive you."

"Geez, thanks." Keith rolled his eyes. Then with a sigh, and a faraway look, "It's my dream to meet him one day. "

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Did you know he has made the most trips to space thus far?"

"I care more about the fact that he was the first openly gay Asian man to go up in space.  _That's_ a big deal to me."

There was a moment of silence before Keith awkwardly chuckled and agreed. "Yeah, that is big isn't it."

"I just feel like he did so much and he  _did_ do so much but sometimes I feel like I just don't know how to word it. Or how to express just  _how much_ it means to me and to the rest of us. How much his very  _existence_ means to us. Can you imagine how that must feel? The pressure that it must bring with you?" Lance asked. Keith glanced at him, wondering if Lance was expecting an answer but Lance carried on. "That your life, that you  _being alive_ is so important, so significant to millions of people around the world. People whom you will never meet, or whose names you will never hear of; but they know you. They know your name and your life and every tiny little detail that you thought you had kept private. They know it and they use your life to make their own to matter. To make it mean  _something_. If not, then to at least give them _hope_ that it could mean something."

Keith stared at Lance in awe, with his mouth slightly open.

When Lance turned to look at Keith, he asked, "What? Did I say too much?"

"The bit about people creeping up on him? Yeah." Keith answered, looking away.

Embarrassed, Lance apologized.

After a few minutes of silence, Keith ventured to ask, "Is it okay if I ask you something personal? You can obviously say no."

"Depends on what it is." Lance answered.

"You mentioned how Shiro being openly gay meant a lot to you. So... are you..." Keith trailed off, hoping Lance will pick up on what he was trying to ask.

"Am I...?" Lance encouraged.

Keith groaned. "You're not gonna make this easier on me, are you?"

Lance laughed. "Nope! If you're gonna ask me a question, you have to finish it."

With a frustrated sigh, Keith flat out asked, "Are you gay?"

Lance froze. With a gulp, he looked away. He bit his lip, as a means of keeping his emotions in check. "No." He finally answered. "I'm not gay."

"Oh." Keith said in what he was surprised to find out was disappointment.

"I'm bi."

Both their hearts skipped fast. Lance's, for his truth was now out. Keith's upon the revelation. He wasn't supposed to feel so happy from hearing this and yet, here he was.

"What is that?" Lance asked, slightly backing away.

"What?"

"Your face. Why is it doing that?" Lance asked, eyeing him cautiously. "Are you, are you trying to  _smile_?"

Keith blushed. His bottom lip quivered.

"You are!" Lance exclaimed, pointing at him. "Dude! Have you never smiled before?"

"I have!" Keith defended.

"Then why is it doing that?" Lance accused.

"I don't know!" Keith covered his face with his hands, unable to look at Lance anymore.

"Wait, are you... happy that I'm bi?" Lance carefully asked. "Keith... are you?"

"Yeah." Keith answered in a small voice. Bringing his hands down, he explained, "Not a lot of people know about it though. They think I'm weird enough living outside of town and have a thing for conspiracies. But if they were to find out that I'm gay too?"

"Yeah. I getcha. How long have you been alone? I mean, have you ever... you know..." Lance trailed off.

"Gotten some action?" Keith finished for him with a teasing smile.

Lance laughed, embarrassed. "Yeah, I didn't want to be too blunt about it."

"Oh, but you'll make me?" Keith taunted.

"Hey, one of us have to be tall, dark and mysterious." Lance winked.

Keith rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"So... have you?" Lance teased.

"Yeah." Keith answered with a heavy blush. "Just because I'm not accepted here, doesn't mean I can't go to places where I am."

"So why haven't you moved? Go to a place where you can be yourself 24/7?" Lance asked, hugging his knees.

Keith shrugged. "This is my parents' home. I can't think of being anywhere else."

"That's sweet but this is your life Keith. Shouldn't you do something that makes you happy?"

"But I am happy Lance. I'm lucky to have a job that I actually like. I get paid well enough, and I don't have to deal with a lot of drama or bullshit that people normally do. The house is already paid for so I don't have to worry about the mortgage."

"Okay, but what about your social life?" Lance asked. "Don't you want to hang out with friends? Or go on dates?"

"First of all, I do hang out with friends. I speak with them online, most of us work together, attend conventions and whatnot. So all things considered, I spend more time with friends than I do with strangers. Secondly, I'm not the dating type. I wouldn't even know what to do if I ever went on."

"And you won't know unless you go on one." Lance remarked. "It's not like we were all born with dating skills. We learn as we go along." Stretching his legs out, Lance asked, "Haven't you ever _clicked_ with someone? Someone with whom you felt like you want to share everything and anything with?"

Keith shrugged. "Not really. I don't think I've ever hung out with someone long enough to feel that."

"You've never had a crush?" Lance asked, surprised.

"Celebrity crushes, sure. But never real life."

"So you've never thought of anyone to be cute? Or hot?"

"Oh that I have." Keith said. "I mean how else do you think my one night stands came to be?" Lance reddened. Keith continued. "But that's all I've ever wanted from them. To dance with them to the loud beats pounding away in the nightclubs. Someone to grind up against just so that I can feel hot. And hot make out sessions in a dark corner, knowing that anyone can stumble upon you at any moment? Or better yet, someone does catch you and you keep going at it? _Fuck!_ That shit is good!" Keith tilted his head back in joy.

"Wow." Lance spoke in a small voice. Then clearing his throat, "You sure don't hold back."

"Was that too much for you?" Keith asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Uhh, no. I mean, I didn't really expect it and I'm not used to hearing other people share their sexual experiences."

"Sexual experiences?" Keith repeated in a mocking tone. "All I talked about was kissing."

"Still counts!" Lance sang.

Keith laughed at his ridiculousness. "If that's the case then just how many partners have you had?"

Lance blushed. "Let's not."

"Umm, no!" Keith protested. "We're definitely gonna talk about this. So? How many?" When Lance didn't speak, Keith tapped him on the arm, "Come on. Don't make me start listing out numbers."

"Oh gosh. Please don't." Lance groaned.

"Then start talking."

"It's three." Lance answered. "I've had three sexual partners."

Keith raised a brow.

"What?" 

"Nothing." Keith hung his head. "I guess I expected the number to be higher than that."

"Why?" Lance asked, offended.

"Dunno." Keith shrugged. "I guess, it's just the way you've been..." He stopped himself before he finished the thought.

"The way I've what?" Lance bit out. When Keith sighed, Lance said, "Speak your words Keith. Don't hold back on my account."

"Look I didn't mean to offend you okay?" Keith said, his voice rising.

"How am I _not_  supposed to feel offended when you've basically called me a slut?"

"I did  _not_! You're putting words in my mouth and I don't appreciate it."

"Whatever." Lance huffed. He dug his nails into his arms.

"I'm not going to apologize." Keith said. "That reaction was on you."

"Fuck you Keith." Lance shouted. "You know I thought you were a pretty swell guy. I didn't think I would have to hear this from you."

"Lance I have no fucking idea what you're talking about." Keith defended. "I just thought that you're a pretty attractive guy and I would have expected you to be well versed in the dating area. So to hear you say you only had three partners, it threw me off okay?"

Lance shook while hot tears swelled in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I thought," He sniffed, "I thought you were like the others."

"Others?" Keith asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah. My last girlfriend, she uh," He sniffed again, "She called me many things while we were breaking up. It's not like I planned on it or anything. But I started developing these feelings for a guy I was working with. And I never acted on them or anything. I just sort of kept them to myself. One night we went clubbing out with friends, and we were dancing, and I was well over drunk. I mean, I couldn't tell people apart. They all just sort of blurred into one. So I must have gotten lost in the crowd or something and ended up just dancing with whoever was there. I didn't know what was happening but I do remember this vivid feeling of just feeling _so good_ you know? Like, this strange new body just moving against me in ways that I never moved before with my partner. And I know that I shouldn't have done that and that I was in a committed relationship with her but that night I swear it was like, like I was just out of my body. It just moved and did things on its own. So anyway, she finds me sandwiched between this couple, creates this huge scene outside of the club. Asking me, how dare I cheat on her, openly asking me if I'm gay and I don't remember telling her that I'm bi but I must have because then she started laughing and saying how that's just great. Use that term as a cover up for my slutty behaviors. Or how it's actually perfect for me given how horny I am all the fucking time and how I can have all the sex that I want now and that if I ever got bored I can always switch it up. It was just," Lance covered his eyes, "I just felt so sick to my stomach. I must have cried. Definitely thrown up cuz I can remember my throat burning up." With a shrug, he finished, "She was the last partner that I had. And that was nearly five years ago."

"I'm so sorry." Keith murmured. "Just so you know, I didn't mean any of that. I just meant you're a really great guy. Granted, I haven't lived with you so I don't know _all_ your nasty habits," Keith teased, leaning into Lance who pushed him away, "but from the little that I do know, you're awesome. You're so thoughtful, your dressing sense is _impeccable_ and the way you can talk to complete strangers without making it seem like a god damn mission..." Keith gestured as if his mind was being blown.

Lance gave a hearty laugh. "Okay, that might be a bit too much."

"Good because I don't think I could have handled giving you too many compliments."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. I have to limit the compliments I give you by three a day."

"And why's that?" Lance asked, with a twinkle in his eye.

Blushing, Keith looked away. "Don't wanna boost your ego. That's why." He covered up.

Lance rolled his eyes, with a knowing smile. He licked his lips and bit his bottom one.

"For real though, your ex girlfriend was a bitch. If I was there and she said that to you, I would have decked her."

Lance raised his brows. "She's a girl."

"I don't give a fuck." Keith snapped. "Just because she's a girl doesn't mean that she can talk shit about anyone and get away with it."

Lance rubbed the back of his neck. "Well she kinda did."

"Cuz you  _let_ her." Keith admonished. "You need to toughen up a bit buddy. Being nice is good, but you can't be  _too_ nice or you'll get taken advantage of."

"Speaking from experience?" Lance asked, softly.

"Maybe." Keith whispered before looking away.

Sensing Keith's reluctance to speak about it, Lance looked away.

After a few minutes of silence, Keith spoke. "It's getting late."

The sky above was still a bright blue. The time said it was just 6:39 p.m. Lance smiled. "Yeah," He glanced over at Keith, "It is."

They maintained eye contact for seconds longer than they should have.

"We should go home." Keith said.

"Yeah," Lance whispered, "We should."

They both smiled.

 


End file.
